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Reviews For: Yaesu FT-1500M

Category: Transceivers: VHF/UHF+ Amateur Base/Mobile (non hand-held)

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Review Summary For : Yaesu FT-1500M
Reviews: 185MSRP: 229
Description:
This is the new Yaesu FT-1500M Mono-band 2 Meter mobile radio. 50 watts out, MH-48 mic, CTCSS encode + decode, DTMF encode + decode, 130 memories, 1200-9300 Packet ready (connector on back), Backlit display, and most other bells and whistles you would come to expect from Yaesu (including SmartSearch, Clock Shift, ect.).
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.yaesu.com/ft1500m.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001854.6
AE5J Rating: 2014-06-17
Long time performer Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I don't even know how long I have had this little rig. Suffice to say, it is the consummate 2M radio. It does everything asked of it. I don't even use software to program it. Simple and quick. I did have problems with the mic cable losing the outer shell, but that is what Scotch 33 is for. This is a rock solid rig that is indestructible. Too bad Yaesu discontinued it. It's a keeper.
KD5SFA Rating: 2014-04-13
Excellent Radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had this radio since I got my ticket in 2002. It has been in my truck hidden in the center console to base to other vehicles and now is used on my ATV for off road use or RACES/Pubic service events. It keeps going and under some harsh conditions. It is basically bulletproof. Simple, compact, does everything you need a 2m rig to do. As I will be putting a dual bander on the ATV, this radio will become part of my go-kit. I wish they made it in a UHF version...then I'd run both on the ATV.
WP4OEK Rating: 2013-02-18
Works great ! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I got this radio from a HamRadio friend. The radio is great, easy to operate. It's really small and fun to use. I give it a 4 because the microphone cable broke like my other Yaesu radios.
K7DXT Rating: 2012-09-05
A Little More Love for the FT-1500 Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Several years ago I wrote a positive review of this model, and want to affirm it's continued reliability.

When Yaesu came out with this model, I purchased two of them. A few years later, I sold one because it wasn't be used. That was a mistake. I recently found another one here on the classifieds of eHam and snapped it up.

They are reasonably simple to program, and provide one of the smallest footprints of any VHF radio on the market. The mounting system provides a greater potential of creative installation possibilities not found in other radios. All of my cars have been smaller, so a full-size 2 meter rig was often difficult to utilize.

The built in speaker has somewhat of a small sound, but entirely listenable. It's always possible to utilize a remote speaker for better audio. I've not experienced the problem some have with the cord that falls apart. Perhaps it's an issue with leaving it in the sun and exposure to ultraviolet rays.

Summary: This is one of those rigs that was designed and built right. One wishes that we could see more simplicity and reliability like this instead of feature laden complicated radios.
M0KRL Rating: 2012-01-31
Bullet Proof Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Used it mobile and in the shack, simple menu, even simpler design, the ultimate in bomb proof design.
I would recommend this to anyone who needs a monoband radio.

Karl, M0KRL
EI4KE Rating: 2011-09-12
Great fm radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had this radio for a few years now and it's given me great service, from mobile chats to winning the fm section of a 2m contest,,, no complaints, menu is easy, memmory inputs are easy, 5/5
W9TAM Rating: 2011-05-31
Solid radio, great for APRS Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This was the first radio I owned, purchased from a friend shortly after I got my ticket in '04. I needed a small radio to mount under the dash in my tiny '97 Nissan Sentra, and this fit the bill. I used it as my mobile rig for nearly 4 years (until I bought a new car and a Kenwood TM-D700A to go in it), and now it has been repurposed as a 2m base in my shack.

As a mobile, I had it almost exclusively doing APRS with a TinyTrak, and it always ran like a champ. The mini-DIN connector in the back is very convenient for use with a TNC. Sure, it gets a little warm at 50W - just keep it ventilated and don't touch it!

For a compact and rugged radio, it's still tough to beat this one. If you see a used one, grab it!
KD5PNT Rating: 2011-03-10
wonderful performer Time Owned: more than 12 months.
was my first 2 metre rig when I got the tech license in 2001 . used it in the 96 ranger PU until I traded it in 04 . never had any problems with it until today except the mike cord outer jacket fell apart . the truck was a real beater too , even on the highway it was like riding a bronc . don't know why yaesu discontinued it . would buy another if I can find one anywhere except ebay . will have this one repaired rather than replacing it
AA4AN Rating: 2011-02-17
What's up with the disintegrating mic cable? Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have three of these radios. I bought all three about 10 years ago. They all work great, and are built like a tank. Great TX and RX audio. Plenty of power to work local and distant repeaters or simplex. NOAA WX channel scanning is nice. That's the good.

The bad is 1. in hot WX the LCD readout turns black. No big deal if you keep the AC running. But be sure to park your car in the shade or in the garage if you want to use the radio before the interior of your car cools down.

2.Like all menu driven Yaesu's they are a pain to program without the manual - which I hate. I own the programming software but it does not work on newer PC's... I gotta keep my old 486 machine handy just in case.

And worst of all 3. All three of my 1500's mic cables are disintegrating. The "rubber" if you will, has deteriorated to the point that it is mostly just bare wires. I thought it might be because of being exposed to the elements in a mobile situation, but I have one in the house that I use for data comm, and I just pulled the unused "new" mic out of the box and it has also deteriorated. The MH-48 mic is a fairly universal mic used on several Yaesu models. I wonder if anyone else has this problem? I have mobile mics that are 30 years old and never had this problem.
W9SAS Rating: 2009-11-07
She's A Brick ... House Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This rig eschews gadgetry for pure meat and potatoes. In temporary installations, I've kicked this radio around the floor of many mobiles for years. It always works. Rx and Tx are always flawless. No fans to clog up with dirt and get noisy. Overheating is not a problem if you keep it out of direct sunlight. No menu selectons for range transponders or similar cruft that interest only 1% of us. Just solid 2m radio performance. So much so, that I've relegated this radio to my test bench as a reference radio for various 2m experiments, where I need a radio I can depend on.

Unless you absolutely need UHF in addition to VHF, buy one of these if you ever encounter one for sale. Mostly, you won't.

- 73s Steve (W9SAS)